John Partridge, a Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s FDA and Health Care Practice Group and Chambers-ranked white collar defense and government investigations lawyer, focuses on government and internal investigations, white collar defense, and complex litigation for clients in the life science and health care industries, among others. John has particular experience with the Anti-Kickback Statute, the False Claims Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including defending major corporations in investigations pursued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In its rankings, Chambers & Partners has reported that John’s clients regard him as a “smart and strategic tactician,” “incredibly responsive and thorough,” and “extremely knowledgeable.” In 2022, John was recognized by BTI as a Client Service All-Star.

Health Care Fraud and Abuse Matters. John has defended clients in criminal and civil enforcement actions relating to alleged health care fraud and abuse, including actions conducted by DOJ, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and State Attorneys General. His substantive experience includes cases involving allegations tied to, among other things, clinical trials, drug pricing, importation of regulated products, off-label promotion, product manufacturing issues, sampling practices, and anti-kickback issues relating to speaker programs, meals and travel, consulting arrangements, product support activities, patient support programs, physician locators, royalties, and investment interests. Among other current matters, John is defending:

• A multinational biopharmaceutical company in an Anti-Kickback Statute-premised False Claims Act investigation focused on educational speaker programs conducted nationwide.
• A multinational pharmaceutical company in an Anti-Kickback Statute-premised False Claims Act investigation focused on patient support program activities and relationships with physician-owned pharmacies.
• A multinational medical device company in an Anti-Kickback Statute-premised False Claims Act litigation relating to marketing efforts.
• A multinational pharmaceutical company in a False Claims Act case based on purported fraud on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• A clinical-stage pharmaceutical company in DOJ and SEC investigations relating to alleged clinical trial fraud.

Along with colleagues at Gibson Dunn, John wrote the criminal enforcement and pharmaceutical sampling chapters of PLI‘s Pharmaceutical Compliance and Enforcement Answer Book 2023. In 2018, LMG named John “Best in Life Sciences” among its “America’s Rising Stars.”

FCPA and International Anti-Corruption Matters. John also has represented companies from multiple industries (e.g., life sciences, specialty chemicals, technology, telecommunications) in criminal and civil enforcement actions pursued by DOJ and/or the SEC and internal investigations relating to allegations of corruption involving ex-U.S. operations. In recent years, he defended a multinational medical device and pharmaceutical company in parallel DOJ and SEC securities fraud and FCPA investigations relating to the company’s activities in more than a dozen countries in Asia. Previously, he served as a member of an international team of Gibson Dunn lawyers assisting the compliance monitor appointed in connection with one of the largest FCPA settlements to date (Siemens AG). His compliance monitoring work includes activities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

Compliance Counseling Matters. In addition to advising multiple publicly traded corporations on investigations and litigation relating to potential healthcare fraud and abuse and FCPA issues, John regularly counsels clients on the structure and effectiveness of their anti-corruption compliance programs.

Government Investigations Experience. Among other engagements, John has counseled clients on:

• A series of FCPA investigations involving a medical device company’s relationships with distributors and HCPs in China.
• An FCPA investigation for a telecommunications company involving alleged kickbacks, meal and travel expenditures, and consulting arrangements in China.
• AN FCPA investigation for a mining company in Ghana.
• An FCPA investigation relating to security- and site-access-related payments in Mexico.
• An FCPA investigation relating to payment irregularities in Latin America.
• FCPA investigations relating to a client’s business activities in Russia and the Middle East.
• A False Claims Act investigation involving a private equity client’s portfolio company in the electronic health records space, which focused on the company’s interactions with health care providers and certifications of its technology.
• A False Claims Act investigation involving a medical device company’s alleged off-label promotion of one of its devices.
• A False Claims Act investigation involving a medical device company’s alleged efforts to deceive FDA with regard to the severity of a design issue impacting the efficacy of the company’s product.
• A False Claims Act investigation involving a pharmaceutical company’s sampling practices.
• A False Claims Act investigation involving a Fortune 500 hospital management company (and stemming from an extensive national investigation).
• A grand jury investigation focusing on a former customer of a medical device company.
• An SEC investigation relating to the accounting and disclosures of a for-profit education company.
• An SEC investigation focusing on the work of the independent auditors of a company that allegedly engaged in accounting fraud.

Civil Litigation Experience. John also has represented clients in a variety of matters before state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels. Among other matters, John has represented:

• A dietary supplement company in putative class actions relating to product labeling issues that raised questions relating to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
• A pharmaceutical company in a False Claims Act case in federal court based on alleged fraud on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and purported product pricing issues tied to the patents at issue.
• A pharmaceutical company in a False Claims Act case in federal court based on alleged violations of the Anti­-Kickback Statute tied to sampling practices.
• A medical device manufacturer in a case involving alleged violations of, among other laws, California’s Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law. John persuaded a California state court to sustain demurrers without leave to amend on federal preemption grounds.
• A pharmaceutical company in a False Claims Act case in federal court based on purported violations of the Anti-­Kickback Statute relating to product-support services, educational grants, and speaker events.
• A large energy company in multiple federal court civil actions aimed at exposing and preventing enforcement of a fraudulently obtained, multi-billion dollar foreign judgment.
• A retailer of home improvement and construction products in a series of administrative and trial-level matters in states across the country where the retailer was denied refunds of sales tax payments (including in two trials in state court).

While seconded to the Denver City Attorney Office’s Prosecution and Code Enforcement Section, John tried more than twenty criminal cases to juries or the court.

John also has appellate experience. In addition to appeals associated with certain cases listed above, his appellate matters include:

• Open Door Ministries v. Lipschuetz, No. 14-SC-787 (Colo. 2016), in which John persuaded the Colorado Supreme Court to reject an intervenor’s argument that a faith-based ministry’s promissory estoppel case against the City and County of Denver was barred by the Colorado Governmental Immunities Act.
• Clyma v. Sunoco, Inc., 594 F.3d 777 (10th Cir. 2010), in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit appointed John as amicus curiae to brief the court on jurisdictional and First Amendment issues raised by a non­party’s appeal.

Education and Clerkship. John received his J.D., with distinction, from Stanford Law School in 2007. While there, he served as an Executive Editor of the Stanford Law Review and was awarded the Law Review’s Board of Editors’ Award. John graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 2002 with a B.A. in History and Psychology. Before joining Gibson Dunn, John clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 2007 to 2008.

Committees and Community Involvement. John serves as a member of Gibson Dunn’s Pro Bono and Hiring Committees-and as a Hiring Partner for Gibson Dunn’s Denver office. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of KIPP Colorado, a network of six college-preparatory public charter schools serving students in several neighborhoods in Denver. In the past, he has served on the Board of Trustees of the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado, a non-profit dedicated to supporting access to justice for low-income residents of Colorado. In recognition of his community involvement and professional achievements, he was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a “40 Under 40” winner in 2019.

Admissions. John is admitted to practice law in the states of California and Colorado, as well as in the District of Columbia and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Eighth and Tenth Circuits, the U.S. District Courts for the District of Colorado and the Northern District of California, and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Piers Plumptre is an English qualified partner working in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Piers is a member of the Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration Groups.

Piers’s practice includes international arbitration and enforcement, complex commercial litigation, financial services disputes, and international fraud and white collar crime. He has extensive experience of international litigation and arbitration matters, spanning multiple jurisdictions, and in a wide variety of sectors.

Piers’s recent commercial arbitration experience includes acting for a major international contractor in a US$ 4 billion dollar ICC arbitration arising out of a Middle Eastern infrastructure project, acting for an energy company in an ICC arbitration against an African State concerning a power project, and acting for a global mining company in a US$ 2 billion LCIA arbitration (and related English High Court proceedings) concerning a long-term supply contract.

Piers has significant investment treaty arbitration experience, including ongoing representation of the former shareholders in a major oil company in a long-running US$ 6 billion UNCITRAL arbitration against the Russian Federation. Piers has also represented an Egyptian telecoms company in an ICSID arbitration against Canada, and continues to act for a major personal care products company in an investment treaty arbitration against Venezuela.

Piers also regularly acts for clients seeking to enforce arbitral awards and judgments, both in the UK and elsewhere. Examples include recently seeking and obtaining a freezing injunction and related relief from the English High Court, in connection with a US$ 550 million ICC arbitration award arising out of a mining dispute. He has also appeared (as junior to Charlie Falconer) in the recent proceedings bought by Tethyan Copper Company in the BVI (where he is admitted to practice), seeking to enforce an ICSID award worth more than US$ 6 billion against the Government of Pakistan.

Piers’s experience of offshore litigation also includes acting for UBS in BVI proceedings brought by the liquidator of the largest Madoff feeder funds to recover monies paid out during the lives of the funds; including representing UBS before the BVI High Court, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal and the Privy Council (sitting as the ultimate BVI appellate court).

Piers is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for International Arbitration, Public International Law and Oil & Gas. He is also recognised by the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom as “One to Watch” for International Arbitration. He is also ranked for International Arbitration in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators guide 2024. 

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Piers completed his pupillage at a leading commercial/chancery barristers’ chambers, having been called to the Bar of England and Wales in November 2011. Reflective of the international nature of his practice, he is also admitted to the bar of the British Virgin Islands. In 2016/2017, he spent 18 months working in Gibson Dunn’s New York Office, focusing primarily on international arbitration.

Lily Paulson Stephens is a corporate associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Lily received her Juris Doctor in 2023 from Fordham University School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to the Order of the Coif. During law school, Lily served as Symposium Editor on the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal. She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Trinity College and earned a Master of Arts in Art History and Museum Studies from Tufts University.

Before law school, Lily worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the American Wing curatorial department.

Rebecca West is an English qualified lawyer and associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the firm’s Finance, and Transportation and Space Practice Groups.

Rebecca practices banking and finance law and has experience in global asset finance, focused on aircraft financing and leasing.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Rebecca was an associate in the Global Asset Finance Group of Clifford Chance LLP. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, she completed client secondments with Avolon Aerospace Leasing Limited, CDB Aviation and GECAS/AerCap (the combination of the latter creating the largest aircraft lessor with a balance sheet of more than $70 billion).

Rebecca has also spent time within the New York offices of Clifford Chance LLP working on various asset backed securitisations and New York law financing and leasing transactions.

Representative Experience*

• FTAI Aviation on a sale and leaseback transaction for in excess of 30 aircraft with LATAM Airlines Group that includes bespoke engine maintenance provisions.
• Sculptor Asset Management on its LUNAR 2020-1 asset backed securitization, whereby the issuer issued $325.8 million of notes backed by multiple aircraft based in various jurisdictions.
• Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC on various leasing transactions.
• GE Capital, the financial services arm of GE, on the sale of the appx $4 billion PK AirFinance aviation lending business to Apollo Global Management and Athene Holding Ltd.
• GECAS, in relation to an ECA financing for over thirty new Airbus aircraft.
• The world’s largest regional aircraft lessor, on the successful scheme of arrangement in respect of approximately $6bn of its secured and unsecured debt.
• BBAM, in relation to its latest enhanced equipment trust certificates backed by various Delta aircraft.
• KDAC Aviation Finance (Cayman) Limited, KDAC Aviation Finance (USA) LLC and DVB Bank SE, London Branch on an issuance of US$722.5 million of fixed rate secured notes. The proceeds from the issuance of the Notes were used by KDAC to acquire a portfolio of 36 Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
• Large international syndicates on numerous secured portfolio aircraft financings.
• Various banks in relation to a series of JOLCO transactions.
• Aircraft leasing companies in relation to the drafting and negotiation of various operating and financing lease agreements.
• Various lenders and lessors in relation to the restructuring of multiple loan and lease agreements as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

*Includes representations made by Rebecca prior to her association with Gibson Dunn.

Victoria Jones Yilmaz is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She practices in the firm’s Finance Practice Group.

Victoria received her law degree in 2018 from The University of Chicago Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in Global Affairs from George Mason University in 2015, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Kali Jelen is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where she is a member of the Finance Practice Group as well as the Capital Markets and Media, Entertainment and Technology Practice Groups. Kali represents private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers and institutional lenders in a broad range of banking and debt financing transactions including asset-based credit facilities, syndicated term loans and unsecured revolving credit facilities. Kali has particular experience advising borrowers in the film and music industries.

Kali earned her Juris Doctorate in 2018 from Fordham University School of Law where she graduated cum laude and was an editor of the Moot Court Board and a member of the Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal. She received her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in Business Administration from Pepperdine University.

Hugo Hernández-Mancha is a New York and Spanish qualified partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the Capital Markets, Finance, and Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice Groups.

Hugo focuses on international capital markets and cross-border leveraged/acquisition finance transactions. He advises private equity sponsors, corporate clients and investment banks on equity, equity-linked and debt offerings, with a particular focus on high yield debt securities, as well as on varied cross-border restructurings.

Hugo has experience in a range of syndicated corporate facilities and complex senior, mezzanine and subordinated/holdco financings, with an emphasis on infrastructure finance, registered and unregistered (144A/RegS) issuances, liability management transactions, bonds private placements, shelf offerings, ongoing reporting, general corporate matters and compliance with U.S. securities laws.

Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, he practiced in New York, Paris, London and Madrid and worked with international clients across a variety of sectors, such as infrastructure, real estate, retail, banking, financial services, insurance, media, chemicals, biotechnology, food, aviation, gambling, renewable energies, oil and gas, recycling/paper and biomass.

Hugo received an Master of Laws from Columbia University School of Law, New York in 2012, a licentiate law degree (J.D. equivalent), summa cum laude, from Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 2011 and a B.A., cum laude, in Economics & International Business Administration from the American University of Paris in 2007.

Hugo is a native Spanish speaker and also fluent in English and French.

Kavita Davis is a partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. Kavita is a member of the Finance Practice Group and focuses on cross-border debt finance matters. She has significant experience in advising on leveraged buyouts representing sponsors, including sponsors focusing on infrastructure transactions.

Kavita received her B.A., LL.B. (Hons) from The W.B. National University of Juridical Sciences. She is admitted to practice in England and Wales.

Selected experience* :

• RedBird IMI on the financing for its £1.15bn acquisition of All3Media, a leading global independent TV and film production, digital, and distribution group headquartered in the UK.
• Blackrock in connection with the financing for their acquisition of a minority stake in Saudi Bahrain Pipeline Company from Bapco Energies.
• KKR in connection with multiple financings, including for its acquisitions of Viridor, Hyperoptic, Refresco, a stake in Telenor’s fibre optic business and a stake in Reintel, the leading dark fibre infrastructure operator in Spain.
• KKR in connection with its financings for Master Distancia and CMC Machinery.
• BlackRock in connection with the financing for its acquisition of a stake in Aramco Oil Pipelines.
• BlackRock and KKR in connection with the financing for their acquisition of a stake in ADNOC Oil Pipelines.
• Global Technical Realty in connection with the financing of their inaugural data center project.
• Blackstone in connection with multiple financings, including for its acquisitions of Cirsa Gaming, Schenck Process and CRH Europe Distribution business. 
• Q-Park in connection with its super senior revolving credit facility.
• Logicor in connection with its revolving credit facilities.

*Some of these representations occurred prior to Kavita’s association with Gibson Dunn.

Scott Roe is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of Gibson Dunn’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, specializing in patent litigation with an emphasis in the mechanical, electrical and computer arts.

Recognized for his work in Intellectual Property Litigation by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2021-2025) and Super Lawyers^® as a “Rising Star”(2014-2020), Scott has litigated patent cases in diverse technical areas, including computer hardware and software, mobile telecommunications, cable video, data and voice services, pharmaceutical and medical devices, automotive hybrid technology and other automotive devices, for clients that include AT&T Mobility, Cablevision, Foot Locker, Ricoh/Pentax, Roamware, Sanofi-Aventis, Sharp, Shazam, and national mobile phone carrier. He has played a leading role in a broad range of litigation matters, in both the United States District Courts and at the International Trade Commission.

Prior to obtaining his Juris Doctor from Boston University Law School, Scott received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University, where he graduated second in his class in the College of Engineering.

Scott is a member of the State Bars of New York and Connecticut. He is also admitted to practice in the courts of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Ariel Prince is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department. Her practice consists of a variety of land use matters and real estate transactions.

Ariel received her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, where she was awarded the prestigious Rothman Scholarship for the Class of 2020. While in law school, she was a Semifinalist in the Hale Moot Court competition and studied in the School of Architecture. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2015. Prior to law school, Ariel worked in corporate and executive communications for a Fortune 50 company.

She is admitted to practice law in the State of California.

Kelsey Gedin is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the Real Estate Practice Group.

Kelsey received her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, where she served as a staff editor for the Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law. She graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. While at Columbia University, Kelsey was a member of the women’s lacrosse team.

Kelsey is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

Ryan Rahman is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Ryan received his Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University.

Ryan is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

Sarah Ediger is an associate in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She currently practices in the firm’s Corporate Department, and her practice is focused on capital markets transactions. She advises clients with respect to SEC registered and Rule 144A offerings of investment grade, high-yield and convertible notes, as well as with respect to a variety of other transactions, including initial public offerings, follow-on equity offerings, and at-the-market equity offering programs. Sarah also regularly advises clients regarding securities regulation and disclosure issues and corporate governance matters, including SEC reporting requirements, stock exchange listing standards, director independence, counseling boards of directors, and insider trading compliance.

Sarah graduated from Stanford Law School in 2020, and she received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Bachelor of Arts in African and African-American Studies, both with Honors and Distinction, from the University of Kansas.

Sarah is admitted to practice law in Colorado.

Yi Zhang, Ph.D., is a litigation associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. 

Yi focuses his practice on patent and intellectual property litigation and has counseled clients in matters involving pharmaceuticals, genomics, and software. Yi has significant experience with litigation at U.S. District Courts, including competitor, BPCIA, and Hatch-Waxman litigation. Yi also has experience with proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and conducting IP diligence.

Yi received his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as an editor for the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review. Prior to pursuing a legal career, Yi earned his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he studied protein biophysics and biochemistry. Yi also holds a master’s degree in marine biology and a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering. Yi is the author of several scientific publications in areas including structural biology and natural product chemistry.

Hannah Newhall is an associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Global Finance practice groups. 

Hannah specialises in real estate finance transactions including acquisition and investment financings and refinancings. She has acted for a range of clients including UK banks, financial institutions and corporate borrowers. 

Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Hannah was a solicitor in the banking and finance practice of a UK law firm.

Melissa Parkes is an English law qualified associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Global Finance practice groups. 

Melissa advises both sponsors and creditors on domestic and cross-border real estate financing transactions. She has experience in financings (investment and development) and refinancings across a range of real estate asset classes, including residential and logistics. 

Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Melissa trained in the London office of another major international law firm. She earned her undergraduate degree in Law (LLB) from Durham University before completing the Accelerated Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School.

Fin Willits is an English-qualified associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Labour and Employment Practice Group, specialising in all areas of UK employment law.

Fin’s practice includes a mix of contentious litigation, advisory and transactional work on a full range of employment issues.

Fin trained at Gibson Dunn. Prior to joining the firm, Fin read History at the University of Oxford.

Alex Gresty is an English qualified associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Dispute Resolutions Group.

Alex has a broad experience in commercial litigation, international arbitration, regulatory/white collar investigations, and competition litigation. In addition, Alex has extensive experience in California and Federal proceedings relating to wildfire and international terrorism litigation.

Alex trained at Gibson Dunn, during which time he spent six months seconded to UBS. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Alex undertook a fellowship with a specialist trial law firm in Los Angeles.

Dimitar Arabov is an English-qualified associate in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation, International Arbitration, and Judgment and Arbitral Award Enforcement Groups.

Dimitar has broad experience of commercial litigation, international arbitration and award enforcement. He trained at Gibson Dunn before qualifying as an associate at the firm and holds a First-Class Law degree from University College London.

Theresa Witoszynski an English and German law qualified solicitor in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Real Estate, and Finance Practice Groups.

Theresa advises lenders and borrowers across the market on real estate backed financing transactions in the UK and continental Europe acting for financial institutions, private equity funds and alternative lenders. Her experience includes acting on senior/mezzanine, syndicated, acquisition, investment and development financing of single and portfolio properties. She also advises on private structured lending solutions such as leverage in the form of loan-on-loan financings.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Theresa was an associate in the London office of a major international law firm. She has also spent time on secondment to RBC Real Estate Capital Partners (RECP) and Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies (BREDS).